1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to an electrical compression connector.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,131 discloses a twisted H-shaped electrical connector. A hydraulic compression tool can be used to compress the connector for connecting two conductors to each other at the same time. FCI USA Inc. sells electrical compression connectors under the part designation YH3429C which are specifically designed for the telecommunications industry for making parallel and tap connections to copper Class I and Class K stranded conductors.
Class K conductors are more flexible than Class I conductors. This increased flexibility is provided by a substantially larger number of individual strands in the conductor. For example, a 250 kcmil Class I copper stranded conductor has 637 strands and a 250 kcmil Class K copper stranded conductor has 2499 strands. The individual strands of a Class K conductor have a smaller diameter than the individual strands in a Class I conductor (0.01 inch versus 0.201 inch). However, a Class K conductor has a larger outer diameter than a Class I conductor of the same electrical size.
For the YH3429C connector, the largest tap conductor receiving channel can accept and be properly crimped onto a Class I conductor between 250 kcmil-1/0 AWG or a Class K conductor between 3/0 and 1/0 AWG. The YH3429C connector cannot be properly crimped onto a 4/0 AWG Class K conductor at its largest tap conductor receiving channel. The largest tap conductor receiving channel is too small to properly receive and connect to the larger diameter Class K conductor. Although a 4/0 AWG Class K conductor might be placed inside the largest tap conductor receiving channel of the conventional YH3429C compression connector, during compression strands of the Class K conductor are pushed out of the lateral side aperture of the tap conductor receiving channel before the aperture is closed. This creates a problem electrically due to the small percentage of strands actually contained in the compressed conductor tap receiving channel. These non-contained stands can also contact and thereby cause problems with nearby electrical or electronic components. In addition, these strands can break off of the conductor and cause additional problems with nearby electrical or electronic components. Similar problems occur with the other two tap channels in the YH3429C connector.
There is a desire to provide an electrical compression connector with tap conductor receiving channels which can be used with Class I and Class K conductors having the same electrical wire size. There is also a desire to provide an electrical compression connector adapted to be connected to a Class I conductor or a Class K conductor of the same size and can be compressed onto the Class K conductor without strands of the conductor being pushed out of a lateral side aperture into the tap conductor receiving area before the aperture is closed.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an electrical compression connector is provided including a first section having a first conductor receiving channel extending into a top side of the connector; and a second section integrally formed with the first section. The second section has a second and a third conductor receiving channel extending into opposite respective second and third lateral sides of the connector. The second conductor receiving channel has opposing concave surfaces having different shapes.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an electrical compression connector and electrical conductor assembly is provided having an extruded electrical compression connector comprising a first generally U-shaped section forming a first conductor receiving channel, and a second section integrally formed with the first section. The second section has a second conductor receiving channel with opposing first and second curved conductor contact surfaces each having a different radius of curvature. The second section has a bottom cantilevered curved leg forming the second contact surface. The assembly further includes a class K electrical conductor located in the second conductor receiving channel. When the connector is compressed onto the conductor, the leg is deformed towards the first contact surface.
In accordance with one method of the present invention, a method of manufacturing an electrical compression connector is provided comprising steps of extruding a metal member through an extrusion die; forming the metal member during the step of extruding with a first section having a main conductor receiving channel; forming the metal member during the step of the extruding with a second section having a first tap conductor receiving channel and a second tap conductor receiving channel. The first tap conductor receiving channel is formed with opposing concave surfaces each having a different radius of curvature.